A Nigerian Aunty

Rape is a serious case in Nigeria but we seldom talk about it, victims don’t report due to costs of involving the police or even the fact that victims likely to be shamed for reporting.

Mrs Michale Matthew in Lagos is one of those aunties that we all need close to us. The kind of aunty who perhaps have read enough about rape to know that preventing it happening is the best gift one can give to young girls. She bravely stopped a group of secondary school boys from raping their female classmates in broad day light.

The story goes that Mrs Matthew was just leaving her office with her son while she noticed the commotion around her workplace, after enquiry she was told that the group were there making noise ready to take turns raping their mates in broad day light – where is the pride in that?

Mrs Matthew being a good Naija Aunty could not bear the thought of just ‘minding her own business’ because as I also believe, it is all our business to set good example. Anyway, she was appalled to see school kids just finishing their final exams breaking laws with no concern about possibility of any consequences – those who were not participating are busy filming the ‘show’.

In the article, we can see the girl’s skirt already torn. Apparently, this rape has been going on for a while as of right of passage after final exam.

Not only did Mrs Matthew foiled this criminal act, she also led the girls to the bus stop so they are safe to return home. She also collected enough information about these guys, follows through with reporting them to the police.

A few of the boys have now been arrestedand are helping to smoke out others. The original post on this incidence as narrated by Mrs Mathew is something that would make any parent shiver a little. While she was helping these girls, her own son was there witnessing her mother, going out of her way to prevent violence and rape – what a great way to show by example.

Rape in schools is not limited to Lagos alone, it is in all of our regions. A couple of weeks ago, an Osun University student was boasting about raping his female friend because she ‘wouldn’t let him’. A few people talked about this online but I doubt any arrest was made.

As citizens with no real power, we can only report and echo one another’s voices, it is the job of officials to investigate and bring criminals to book, if we ever want to see end to violence against women in our society.

Since Nigerians now celebrate both UK and USA Mother’s Day, the more the merrier I suppose – this is to Mrs Matthew for her courage and for being a good Nigerian Aunty!

Credit to Mrs Matthew on her courageous actions.
My question is what sort of values did the parents of the alleged rapists instill in their children? Were the children neglected for them to take such a course of action?
I’m sure the parents will be quick to trot out the line that they are good ‘Christians or Muslims’ and ‘their home is a good one’. If that is the case then how did their children get involved alleged attempted rape? However we want to look at it, their is a big disconnect between what is taught in religion and what it’s followers do in reality.

Well, you’ve said it all on parents involvement and religion influence. It is only in Nigeria that adults live in their own special world thinking kids can’t see that religion is the biggest scam as they don’t reflect life on the street.

I saw this story making the rounds last week or so and I shivered. It’s an ugly incident. Unfortunately, the law hardly helps matters. The victims keep quiet because they fear recriminations and labeling especially when they know that their aggressors would get away with their crimes. Mrs. Matthews deserve commendation.

I was so angry or should I say grieved when I read her narrative of the event on social media. But also relieved that somebody stepped up to defend these girls.
A follow up on the story said the police were trying to make it a case of students fighting. Can you imagine that. Eventually I got to sign a petition to ensure that the commissioner of police take the case up seriously. If only our security agents and law makers will take this kind of case more seriously. I mean what kinds of sons are we raising?! Thank you for sharing this Fola.

Well, it will be a pleasant surprise if anyone gets charged in the end. I am just so happy that Mrs Matthew has by now inspired many people and likely to have alerted parents of those kids (boys + girls) to their parental responsibilities.

Thanks for this, Folakemi. That “auntie” needs a national award for preventing what might have been just a single or few horrific crimes of many similar ones, but for tsking all the steps she did which has now reportedly been taken tomdry the hoodlum rapists as adults.

Hillary Clinton’s IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD borrowed the African concept of child-raising that used to see everybody looking out for kids in a community. Those days seem now long gone but Mrs. matthew has raised hopes in our need to look back at past mores of our people.

Those thigs should rightly be tried as adults. In the 60s, a rape incident in a university setting where students were older was usually met with RUSTICATION which could see a student lose a year or more before being readmitted. We have to wake up to modern & “civilized” behaviors that harp more to animalistic tendencies.

Fola this happens a lot here and women seldom report it because of the trauma of going to court. In most cases their complaint is considered UNFOUNDED. One of our national news papers has done some research on this and all this publicity has amplified the problem and brought a lot of attention to this issue. It often becomes a situation of “he said – she said” which makes it very difficult to find the truth. It does come down to consent, but it is so much more than this. I think women all over are struggling with this.
Leslie

no words right now would be able to describe how angered and appalled I am by this news, and the fact that report indicates that this is not a new happening in that area. The perversion, lack of a conscience and outright demonism that would push boys to think up some action is just unimaginable. Congratulations and God’s blessings to a woman like that, whose bravery and resilience was able to save those number of girls from the stigma of rape. And to think that if those girls were raped, there would be a number of people who would turn to slut shame and victim blame for the event. You may want to check out this enlightening and provocative article on rape at https://truthzombie.wordpress.com/2017/05/08/rape/ One of the ways we can deal with this issue is to raise awareness on it.
Truth Zombie

Thank you for stopping by and for contributing to this post.
Glad that you have also written on the subject, the example you gave about the keeping tabs on when women should or should not be out in the evening while boys’ are meant to have fun outside whenever they liked is spot on – thank you.

Well from my experience, I think like many of our social issues it is mostly down to lack of consequences. People would still commit criminal activities regardless, but if they knew they’d be punished, they would think twice beforehand and more so parents would not shy away from being blunt about things like this.

I think like many of our social issues it is mostly down to lack of consequences. People would still commit criminal activities regardless, but if they knew they’d be punished, they would think twice beforehand …Very rightly said, that and the fact that our priorities has been largely misplaced. we seem to be fighting a war against this vices, but then it is the wrong war. Nice write up once again. I must say, I find your blog enriching